The Trail Blazers may have pushed Damian Lillard as the "face of the franchise" for a year plus now, and that makes some marketing sense given that he's under control contract-wise for the foreseeable future on his original rookie scale contract, team option, qualifying offer, etc.

But what it can't do is change the fact that the team's true face, and most valuable player, is LaMarcus Aldridge. A dynamic that Portland's front office needs to refocus on.

Never been clearer than Thursday-Sunday nights, where the sputtering, struggling Blazers looked re-energized, rebalanced and went 3-0 after Aldridge's return (back contusion). Portland had lost nine of 14 before beating the Bulls. Lillard did what he could, but we learned pretty quickly that he can't single-handedly carry the Blazers the way Aldridge can.

Joakim Noah told reporters after Friday's victory at Chicago, "Whether (Aldridge) scores or not, you can tell when he's on the court. He changes their team."

Aldridge is so important to Portland's plan this season. Next season, too, his final under contract with the Blazers. So as we're watching the stretch run here, ask yourself what GM Neil Olshey has to be thinking as he's watching Aldridge show up and immediately shift the entire dynamic of the team --- this is a guy Portland must figure out a way to keep long term.

I know Aldridge says he loves Portland. That's what players ALWAYS say while they're under contract. I know, too, that Olshey tried to get Aldridge some help (Robin Lopez at center). But if the Blazers really want Aldridge to begin thinking of himself as a forever Blazer, why aren't they already marketing him as part of their future? Why aren't they looking at him as the face of the franchise?

The real reason may be a simple one: fear.

If they market and push Aldridge and he bolts at the end of the contract, they lose out big-time. But I wonder if they're losing a critical advantage by not seizing this opportunity to remind him in so many little ways what he means to the franchise, and what the Blazers might do with him here under a new contract.

I'll put the percentage that Aldridge stays with Portland beyond summer 2015 at 35 percent. Those are serious numbers. There's a time for playing games, and a time for negotiating. But Blazers must know they're in the unique position right now of being the only NBA team that can actively and publicly recruit Aldridge in a variety of ways without being slapped with a tampering fine.

Portland is wasting that right now.

The Blazers are Aldridge's team. They're built around him. Without him, they're not a .500 club. This isn't about luck, or haircuts, or social media campaigns, this is about getting real about what fuels Portland's engine.

Money matters to NBA players. A chance to win a ring matters. Beyond that, there's respect. And I wonder as the Blazers are busy pushing Lillard, an Olshey draft pick, as the franchise poster-boy if they're risking alienating Aldridge, who is obviously player No. 1 right now.

Lillard likes the spotlight. Aldridge is more reserved. Maybe that's a factor in who they push. But not one that the front office should rest on.